Binder and wrapper material feed for cigar machines



April 0, 1943 F. c. GLADECK ,316,784

BINDER AND WRAPPER MATERIAL FEED FOR CIGAR MACHINES Filed March 22, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet l \\h R 0 W\ K; o b,m g a m FIG. I

INVENTO Maw I? I Tr RNEY April 4 F. c. GLADECK 2,316,784

BINDER AND WRAPPERMATERIAL FEED FOR CIGAR MACl-IiNES Filed March 22, 1935 4 shets-snet 2 Q V M ATTORNEY April 20, 1943: F. c. GLADECK 2,316,784

BINDER AND WRAPPER MATERIAL FEED FOR CIGAR MACHINES Filed March 22, 1935 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 5

' INVENTOR WHW BY & 7/

, ITORNEY April 1943- F. c; ,GLADECK 2,316,784.

BINDER AND WRAPPER MATERIAL FEED FOR CIGAR MACHINES Filed March 22, 1935 ,4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I J64 166 57 P168 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 20, 1943 BINDER AND WRAPP ER MATERIAL FEED FOR CIGAR MACHINES Frederick C. Gladeck, Brooklyn,

International Cigar 31 Claims.

This invention relates to cigar machines, more particularly to automatic binder and wrapper material feeds for high speed cigar machines of the fresh work or scrap bunch type.

In cigar machines heretofore in use, a tobacco leaf is spread by the attendant on a cutting bed provided with a die having the required configuration to cut a wrapper or bunch binder of the desired shape, wherefore the output of the machine depends upon the experience and speed of the attendant in so placing said tobacco leaf.

It is the main object of the present invention to automatically feed the wrapper and/or binder material in the form of a web, or from a magazine in the form of sheets. This may be accomplished by using a web of pulped sheet tobacco and in the case of the binder material, paper or crepe paper may be used instead, and feeding the same between two sets of take-up rollers located at either side of the cutting bed by unwinding the web from an idle reel and rewinding it upon an intermittently driven reel. The feeding ofthe web is so timed that it is advanced and then stopped while the aforementioned take-up rollers descend and stretch it over the cutting die and bed. Thereupon a set of cutting rollers pass over the cutting die and cutout a wrapper or binder, as the case may be. The cutting rollers then retreat and the binder carrier or wrapper carrier picks up and transports the section so cut to the bunch rolling or wrapper-applying mechanisms, respectively, The take-up rollers now rise and the web is again advanced suificiently to allow a new blank to be cut therefrom, and the same cycle of operations is periodically repeated.

However, the wrapper or binder material may be stacked in the form of sheets in a magazine, fed from the bottom of the stack by a rotary segmental roll, gripped by automatic mechanism which engages the ends of the sheet being so advanced. and stretched and deposited upon the wrapper cutting or binder cut-ting bed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spraying apparatus which will operate while the travel of'the web of binder material is interrupted to spray a solution of flavoring material of suitable composition and ingredients on the web. This may be accomplished by operatlng said sprayer from the same drive as the binder web-feeding means. In this manner the web is moistened at areas which eventually register with the cutting bed and the solution adhering to the binder out from the web enriches the flavor and aroma of the cigar.

N. Y., assignor to Machinery Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application March 22, 1935, Serial No. 12,508

Still another object of the invention is to emboss or impress the pulped sheet tobacco used for the wrapper or binder material with a pattern which simulates or resembles .leaf tobacco of the desired grade or type. For this purpose the web passes between a set of rolls provided on their peripheries by any suitable photo-engraving or engraving process with the required pattern for the desired type or grade of tobacco, and is thereby embossed or impressed. Preferably, the web is drawn between the engraved rolls on its way to the cutting bed, so that the pattern applied thereto may not be injured by rewinding of the web.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain constructions and combinations hereinafter fully described and then specifically set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:

Fig. 1 is a partial plan view of a standard fresh work cigar machine, equipped with the automatic binder and wrapper material feeding means;

Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of the automatic binder material feed and the binder cutter unit;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the intermittent drive used for the binder and wrapper material web feeds;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the automatic wrapper material feed taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6- is a plan view of a device for impressing or embossing the pulped sheet tobacco used for the binder or wrapper material;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 8 is a partial plan view of a cigar machine provided with a modified form of binder material feed for feeding sheet blanks from a magazine in which they are stored to the binder cutting bed of the machine;

Fig. 9 is a partial side elevation of the same taken on line 9-@ of- Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a device delineated in Fig. 8 for sweeping away the surplus portion of the sheet remaining on the binder cutting bed after the binder has been cut therefrom.

In carrying the invention into effect there is provided a cutting bed provided with a cutting die, automatic means for feeding and stretching sheet material over said cutting die and bed,

mechanism coacting with the die to cut a section crumed on a shaft 40 supported by the side on the die and bed while the feeding of the web is interrupted; or the feeding and stretching means may include a magazine supporting a stack of sheets, a rotary segmental roll operating to advance the lowermost sheet from under the bottom of the stack, and mechanism for gripping the sheet while it is being so advanced and stretching and depositing the same upon the cutting die and bed.

These various means and parts may be widely varied in construction within the scope of the claims hereunto appended, for the particular constructions selected to illustrate the invention are but a few of the many possible concrete embodimerits of the same. The invention, therefore, is

not to be restricted to the precise details of th constructions shown and described.

Referring to the drawings, the web of binder "material B is unwound from an idle reel R by means of an intermittently driven reel I0. In being drawn from the reel R and rewound on the reel Hi the web 13 passes'between a set of take-up rollers H and I2 and a second set of take-up rollers l3 and I4. when said rollers descend they stretch the web B over a binder cutting bed l5 of conventional construction provided with a cutting bed l6 of the usual type and a die block l1 lyingwithin and of the same configuration as the die l5, the top of block I! normally lying slightly below the cutting. edge of the die II. There is further provided a binder carrier l3 of well known construction and peration. Coacting with the die I6 is a swinging arm l9 carrying two cutting rollers and 2|, which, at the proper time, roll over die 18 and cut a binder from the section of the binder web B previously stretched taut on the bed I5. I

Among the various mechanisms old and well known in the art which are suitable for elevating the die block H to present the cut binder t the binder carrier hereinafter described, that disclosed in Patent No. 1,543,874, granted on the application of Rupert E. Rundell may be used. Further description of the same is omitted herein in the interest of brevity and clarity, as reference may be had to said patent for the details of said mechanism.

The roll R of suitable binder material, such as pulped sheet tobacco, paper or crepe paper, is supported on a shaft 22 carried by a bracket 23 attached to the table 24 resting on the side frames 25 of the machine. A flange 25 provided on one end of shaft .22 retains the roll R on the shaft.

The take-up rollers ll, l2, l3, and I4, are mounted on studs carried by the U-shaped brackets 21 and 28, respectively. The-central portions of brackets 21 and 28 are attached to the upper end of slide-rods 29 and 30, respectively, and the lower ends of rods 29 and 3| are connected by a cam-actuated bar3l. Rods 29 and 30 are guided in the bearings 32 and 33 of brackets 34 and 35 carried by the table 24. A cam groove in one face of a cam 35 mounted on the cam shaft 31 of the machine is engaged by frames 25, the lever 39 being linked to bar 3| by a connecting rod 4|. The swinging motion of lever. 39 imparts a reciprocating motion to the rods 29 and 30. The descent of rods 29 and 30 causes the take-up rollers ll, [2 and i3, 14 to stretch the binder web B overthe cutting bed I5,

as previously mentioned and the ascent of said rollers brings the web B to a position B clear of the cutting bed to allow the web to be, advanced a step by means which will be presently described.

On the cam shaft 31 is 'also mounted a cam 42 provided with a cam groove into which is fitted a cam follower 43 carried by-a cam lever 44 fulcrumed on shaft and actuating a rod 45 con-' nected to a rocker-arm 46 fastened to a rocker.- shaft 4'! carried by bracket 48. A gear segment 49 on shaft 41 meshes with a gear 50 loosely mounted on a shaft 5l supported in bracket 48.

' a cam follower 38 carried by a cam lever 39 ful- -The web of the gear 50, which constitutes'the driver of a, friction clutch, is recessed to receive the projecting hub of the" reel 52 which is the driven member of the clutch (Fig. 4). This driven member 52 is keyed on the shaft 5| and its projecting hub is providedwith wedge-shaped notches in which rollers 54 fit loosely between the.

circumferential wall 55 of the recess in the hub come jammed therebetween whenever they are forced towards the apices of the notches by the movement of gear 50, the rollers normally being pressed against the gear 50 by springs 56 seated in recesses provided in the driven member 52. Therefore, when the gear 50 turns in a clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4, the rollers 54 jam against the circumferentialwall 55 of the recess in gear 50, thus turning the driven member 52 with the shaft 5|, and thereby periodically advancing the web B and rewlnding it on the member 52. When the gear 50 rotates in a counter-clockwise direction the rollers 54 are freed and the gear turns idle. Since the'friction .clutch just described is of the well known roller type, further description thereof is deemed unnecessary: it being understood; however, that any suitable one-way clutch of the ball or other type may be used instead. a

When the binder web B is stretched across the cutting bed l5, the cutting rollers 20, 21- on arm I9 roll overthe die l6 and cut a binder from the j nected by a ball-and-socket joint or the like to one end of a link 59 which ispivotally connected at its other end to a cam lever ill carrying a cam roller 6| engaging a cam groove in one face of a came 62 fast on shaft 31. The binder carrier I3 is mounted loosely on-a stud 53 carried on the upper end of an arm 64 clamped to one end of a cam-actuated rock-shaft, not shown. This arrangement of the binder carrier isthat shown in Patent No. 1,543,874 mentioned above, and the rock-shaft and'binder carrier are connected by a linkage (not shown herein) which maintains the operating face of the binder carrier in a horizontal position during its travel. It will be understood, however, that any other type of binder carrier may be used, and that thearm I! may carry a trip connected to a safety device ofany suitable type such as shown in said Patent No. 1,543,874.

During the binder cutting operation, at which time the binder web remains stationary, ailavoring solution is sprayed onto said web to enrich its flavor and aroma. The sprayer consists of an air line 64 (Fig. 3) which is connected through a regulating valve 65 and a pipe 66 to an air compressor or an air blast system. Pipe line 64 is equipped with a control valve 61 which is opened by a, trip lever 68 fulcrumed on a stud '69 attached to the frame of the machine. Lever 68 carrying roller 10 is periodically operated by a cam piece II attached to the periphery of cam 42.- Lever 68 is equipped with an adjusting screw I2 which engages and pushes the stem 13 of valve 61 to open the same when roller I0 is raised by cam piece H. A collar 74 near the lower end of pipe line 64 engages with a lug of lever 68 and prevents the same from falling back too far when not in engagement with cam II. A pipe 15 communicating with the upper part of pipe 64 is connected with the pipe 16 of a sprayer ll of usual construction. The pipe 16 on its lower end is equipped with a nozzle I8 while the upper end carries an adjustable needle valve 19 by means of which it is possible to regulate the spray S issuing from nozzle 18. The air line $4 is furthermore equipped with a safety valve Bil which is set to open in case the air pressure in the line exceeds a given limit.

The filler tobacco, as in previous machines, is placed on an endless feed belt 8! (Fig. l) and is advanced under the row of star wheels 32 which level the tobacco mass and advance the filler layer to a second row of star wheels which feed the tobacco against a series of spaced measuring fingers. After the proper volume of tobacco to form a charge of predetermined density has been pressed against the measuring fingers, the belt Si and the star wheels are stopped and the charge is out off from the mass of tobacco by the cutter mechanism 83. The filler feed just described is shown in Patent No. 1,791,558, granted on the application of V. G. Hanson, to which reference is made for a complete disclosure of the details of construction.

A set of reaper fingers 3326 delivers the severed charge to a charge transfer 86 which may be of any suitable type or construction, or such as shown in Patent No. 1,838,192, granted on the application of Rupert E. Rundell.

In the meantime, the cutting rollers 29 and 29 have passed over the die and cut out a binder which is picked up by the'binder carrier I8 after said cutting rollers have retreated from the cutting bed. The carrier 59 transports the binder and deposits the same upon the chianti belt 85 of a bunch rolling mechanism of well known type. charge transfer 86 on to the binder just delivered on the chianti belt, and the binder is then rolled about the charge to make the bunch. The bunch so formed is carried by a transfer Eifi of well known construction to a re -ro1ling' device 87 of conventional construction, wherein it is softened by being rolled between a knurled drum and a concave; and upon emerging from the re-rolling device the bunch is carried by a transfer, not shown, to the crimper mechanism 88, which may be of a type well known in the art, wherein its ends are compressed to the required shape and then trimmed. The bunch is conveyed from the crimper by a transfer, not shown, to the wrapper-applying mechanism 89 where the wrapp r is drawn off the wrapper carrier and spirally wound about the bunch. This mechanism here shown in outline is preferably that disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,915,277 to Halstead.

The charge is then ejected from the known in the art, and since a more detailed description of the same is not necessary to a fullunderstanding of the present invention, it is omitted in the interest of brevity and clearness.

The web of wrapper material W, which may be pulped sheet tobacco, is unwound from a roll R (Fig. 1 by means of an .intermittently driven reel 9| and passes betweena set of take-up rollers 92 and 93, and a second set of take-up rollers 94, 95. The wrapper web W is thus drawn over the wrapper cutting bed 96 of conventional construction provided with a. wrapper cutting die of the usual type and with a die block of well known construction lying within and of the same configuration as the wrapper cutting die. Thereupon the rollers 92, 93 and Si, 95 are lowered by mechanism, hereinafter described, to stretch the web W on the wrapper cutting die while its feed is interrupted.

Coacting with the wrapper cutting die is a swinging arm 9'? carrying two cutting rollers 98 and 99 which, at the proper time, roll over the die and cut a wrapper from the web W. Since the actuating means of'the arm 91 is similar to that for actuating the swinging arm IQ of the binder cutting unit, and the mechanism for elevating the wrapper die block to present the cut wrapper to the wrapper carrier hereinafter described is similar to that described in Patent No. 1,543,874 referred to above, it has been deemed unnecessary to specifically describe the same herein. The arm 97 may similarly be provided with a trip connected to a safety device.

The roll R is supported on a shaft Hi0 carried by a bracket ml attached to a table lIlZ carried by the side frames of the cigar machine. Rollers 92, 99 and 9d, 95 are mounted on studs carried by U-shaped brackets I03 and IM, respectively. To the upper ends of slide-rods H15 and 5%, respectively, are attached the brackets Hi3 and EM; and the lower ends of said slide-rods m5 and I06 are connected to a cam-actuated bar lb? (Fig. 5). The rods I95 and I06 are guided in bearings of the brackets I08 and H19 attached to bed W2. A cam Ill) mounted on a cam shaft iii of the cigar machine actuates a cam follower H2 carried by a cam lever II3 fulcrumed on a shaft H4. The swinging motion of lever H3 operates a connecting rod II5 attached to the arm N37. and periodically lowers the take-up rollers 92, 93 and 9d, 95 to stretch the web W on the wrapper cutting bed while the cutter rollers 98, 99 are swung thereover.

The cam shaft l i I also carries a cam I I6 which actuates a cam follower II'I carried by a lever 1 id fulcrumed on shaft N4, the motion thus imparted to lever H9 operating a rod H9 connected to a rocker-arm 626 fast ned to a rocker-shaft carried by bracket I2I. The rocker-shaft carries a gear segment I22 meshing with a gear 23 loosely mounted on a shaft 1 supported in bracket E29. The gear I23 is the driver of a ball or roller clutch, or other type of one-way clutch, in the same manner as the gear 5d of the binder feeding means, and the reel 9i is the driven member of the clutch; Wherefore further description of the same is deemed unnecessary and omitted.

The same mechanism for feeding webs of wrapper and /or binder material can be applied to In view of the fact that the bunch rolling and it cigar machines having a plurality of wrapper and/or binder cutting beds mounted on a turret, such as disclosed in Patent No. 1,888,788, grant- 4 ed November 22, 1932, on the application of 81118-115913.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, when pulped sheet tobacco is used for th binder or wrapper material, it may be suitably impressed, or embossed to simulate or resemble leaf tobacco! To this end the web as it is unwound from the roll R passes between a pair of rolls I30 and I3I which are suitably driven by means (not shown). To emboss the web, one of these rolls is provided in relief with the pattern of the grade or type of tobacco itis desired to simulate and the other roll is provided with a similar pattern in raised work. When the web is to be impressed to give it the appearance of leaf tobacco, both roll may be provided with a raised pattern. The required patterns may be formed on the rolls by the engraving process or by photogravure. The web in passing between said rolls will be impressed or embossed to resemble or simulate regular leaf tobacco. The embossing rolls can be made in different designs so that the web will resemble leaf The cutting bed I supports a frame I33 car rying shafts I34, I35, I36 and I31, and to one end of shaft I34 is fastened a bevel gear I38 meshing with a bevel gear I39 attached to a shaft I40. The cam shaft 31 .(Fig. 8) imparts motion to aaiensa outward swinging of the transfer arms.

The sheet S being thus placed on the cutting bed, the transfer arms I52 and I53 retreat to their original position and are simultaneously pulled inward by the tension spring connecting the same. At this time the two cutting rollers and 2| roll over die I6 and cut a binder from the sheet S, and having performed the cutting operation, the cutting rollers then retreat to their inactive position. Thereupon a revolving brush I60, which will be presently described, passes over the cutting bed and sweeps away the portion of the sheet S which remains on the bed after the binder cut therefrom has been transferred to the binder carrier. For this purpose the arm I6I is attached to the upper end of a vertical rock-shaft I62 on the lower end of which is fastened an arm I63 suitably connected by a balland-socket joint to one end of a link I64 which is pivotally connected at its other end to a cam lever I65 carrying a cam roller I66 engaging a cam groove in a face cam I61 fast onshaft 31. Th arm I6I supports a shaft I68 which, on its free end, carries the brush I50; and to the other end thereof is fastened a bevel gear I69 meshing with a stationary bevel gear I10 coaxial with the shaft I62 and fastened to a bracket I1I. During the swinging motion of the arm I6I brush I59 is rotated by means of said bevel gears to sweep from shaft I40 by means of a chain drive, not shown.

A sprocket I M mounted onshaft I34 drives a chain I42 running over a sprocket I 43 on shaft I35. The shaft I34 also carries a cam I44 having in one of its faces a cam groove into which is fitted a cam follower I45 carried by a bellcrank leverv I46 fulcrumed on the shaft I36. The other arm of the lever I46 is linked by a rod I41 to an arm I48 which is pivotally mounted on the shaft I31, the upper end of arm I48 being connected by a link I49, to a lug I50, on a cross bar I5I. On vertical pintles fixed in the ends of bar I5I are pivoted the transfer arms I52 and I53.

The shaft I35 also carries a segmental roller I54 formed of rubber or other similar material or covered with rubber, felt or the like, and having a raised segment which contactsthe lowermost sheet S in the magazine and advances the same to the grippers I55 and I56 carried by the transfer arms I52 and I53, respectively. The grippers consist of lower :Iaws fastened to the bottom of the transfer arms and spring-tensioned upper jaws hinged on the transfer arms. As the grippers move into the position shown in Fig. .9 the upwardly extending tails of the sprlng-tensioned jaws meet a stationary vertical plate 155a, and the upper jaws are thus-separated from the lower jaws to admit the sheet S therebetween. With the sheet thus delivered to the grippers, the cam I44 through itsaforementioned connections advances the transfer arms I 52 and I53, where-- upon the upper spring-tensioned jaws close upon the grip sheet S. The sheet S is thereby transferred to a position S as indicated in Fig. 8, wherein it overlies the cutting bed. Shortlybefore reaching position S the rollers I56 and I51 carried by the tails of the transfer arms I52 and I53; respectively, encounter the respective stathe cutting bed I5 the portion of th sheet S remaining thereon. Finally said arm returns to its original position, and the next sheet S is carried to the cutting bed in the same manner. While the device shown in Figs. 8 to 10 has been described as a binder feeding and cutting mechanism, the same construction is useful for wrapper feeding and cutting. The method illustrated herein constitutes the subject matter of my divisional application Serial No. 238,521.

The invention above described may be varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for the particular device selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many concrete embodiments of the same. The invention therefore is not to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cigar machine cutting bed provided with a cutting die, of a source of supply of cigar forming sheet material, automatic means for feeding and stretching said sheet material over said cutting die and bed, mechanism coacting with said die to cut a section from the stretched sheet material; and means for transporting the severed section away from said cutting die and bed while maintaining the same in stretched condition.

2. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cigar machine cutting bed provided with a cutting die, of a source of supply of cigar forming sheet material, automatic means for feeding and stretching said sheet material over said cutting carcass said feeding and stretching means including an intermittently driven reel for advancing a web of the sheet material step-by-step across said die, sets of take-up rollers at either side of said cutting bed, said web being threaded between said rollers, and mechanism for lowering said rollers to stretch said web on said die and bed while the feeding of the web is interrupted.

3. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cutting bed provided with a cutting die, of automatic means for feeding and stretching sheet material. over said cutting die and bed, mechanism coacting with said die to-cut a section from the stretched sheet material, and means for transporting the severed section away from said cutting die and bed, said feeding and stretching means including a magazine supporting a stack of sheets, a rotary segmental roll operating to advance the lowermost sheet from under the bottom of said stack and mechanism for gripping the sheet as it is ,being so advanced and stretching and depositing the same upon said cutting die and bed.

4. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cigar machine cutting bed provided with a cutting die, of a source of'supply of cigar forming sheet material, automatic means for feeding and stretching said sheet material over said cutting die and bed, mechanism coacting with said die to cut a section'from the stretched sheet material, means for transporting the severed section away from said cutting die and bed while maintaining the same in stretched condition, and means for removing the portion of said sheet material remaining on the cutting bed after the section severed therefrom has been carried away by said transporting means.

5. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cigar machine cutting bed provided with a cutting die, of a source of supply of cigar forming sheet material, automatic means for feeding and stretching said sheet material over said cutting die and bed, and mechanism coacting with said die to cut a section from the stretched sheet material, said mechanism including a member movable across said dle to press the stretched sheet material against the cutting edge of said die and thus sever a section therefrom.

6. The combination with a cigar machine cutting bed provided with a cutting die, of a source of supply of cigar forming sheet material, automatic means for feeding and stretching said sheet material over said cutting die and bed, and mechanism coacting with said die to cut a section from the stretched sheet material, said feeding and stretching means including an intermittently driven reel for advancing a web of sheet material step-by-step across said die, sets, oftake-up rolls at either side of said bed, said web being threaded between said rollers, and mechanism for lowering said rollers to stretch said web on said die til? vance the lowermost sheet from under the boting and depositing the same upon said cutting die and bed.

8. The combination with a cigar machine cutting bed provided with a cutting die, of a source of supply of cigar forming sheet material, automatic means for feeding and spreading said sheet material over said cutting die and bed, mechanism coacting with said die to out a section from the spread sheet material, and a device for spraying the sheet material fed to said die by said feeding means with a flavoring solution at predetermined spaced portions which will coincide with the sections cut therefrom by the die.

9. The combination with a cutting bed provided with a cutting die, of automatic means for feeding and stretching sheet material over said cutting die and bed, said means including an intermittently driven reel for advancing a web of sheet material step-by-step across said die, sets of take-up rollers at either side of said cutting bed, said web being threaded between said rollers, and mechanism for lowering said rollers to stretch said web on said die and bed while the feeding of the web is interrupted.

10. The combination with a cutting bed provided with a cutting die, of automatic means for feeding and stretching sheet material over said cutting die and bed, said means including a magazine supporting a stack of sheets, a rotary segmental roll operating to advance the lowermost sheet from under the bottom of said stack, and mechanism for gripping the sheet as it is being so advanced and stretching and depositing the same upon said cutting die and bed.

11. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cigar binder cutting bed provided with a binder cutting die, of automatic means for feeding and stretching sheet material over said cutting die and bed, mechanism coacting with said die to cut a binder from the stretched sheet material, and means for transporting the severed binder away from said cutting die and bed to a position wherein it is applied to a filler charge.

12. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cigar binder cutting bed provided with a binder cutting diehaving a cutting edge defining an enclosed area, of a, source of supply of cigar forming sheet material, automatic means for feeding and stretching sheet material over said cutting die and bed, and mechanism coacting with said die to cut a binder from the stretched sheet material.

13. The combination with a cigar binder cutting bed provided with a binder cutting die having a cutting edge defining an enclosed area, of a source of supply of cigar forming sheet material, automatic means for feeding and stretching sheet material over said cutting die and bed, and mechanism coacting with said die to cut a binder from the stretched sheet material, said feeding and stretching means including an intermittently driven reel for advancing a web of sheet material step-by-step across said die, sets of take-up rollers at either side of said cutting bed, said web being threaded between said rollers, and mechanism for lowering said rollers to stretch said web on said die and bed while the feeding of the web is interrupted.

14. In a cigar machine, the combination with a binder cutting bed provided with a binder cutting die, of automatic means for feeding and stretching sheet material over said cutting die and bed, mechanism coacting with said die to cut a binder from the stretched sheet material, and means for transporting the severed binder away from said cutting die and bed, said feeding and stretching means including a magazine supporting a stack of sheets, a rotary segmental roll operating to advance the lowermost sheet from under the bottom of said stack and mechanism for gripping the sheet as it is being so advanced and stretching and depositing the same upon said binder cutting die and bed.

15. In a cigar machine, the combination with a binder cutting bed provided with a binder cutting die, of automatic means for feeding and stretching sheet material over said cutting die and bed, mechanism coacting with said die to cut a binder from the stretched sheet material, means for transporting the severed binder away from said cutting die and bed, said feeding and stretching means including a magazine supporting a stack of sheets, a rotary segmental roll operating to advance the lowermost sheet from under the bottom of said stack and mechanism for gripping the sheet as it is being so advanced and stretching and depositing the same upon said binder cutting die and bed, and means for sweeping away the portion of the sheet remaining on the binder cutting bed after the binder severed therefrom has been carried away by said transporting means. 7

16. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cigar wrapper cutting bed provided with a wrapper cutting die, of a source of supply of cigar wrapper forming sheet material, automatic means for feeding and stretching said sheet material over said cutting die and bed, mechanism coacting with said die to cut a wrapper from the stretched material, and means for transporting the cut wrapper to wrapper-applying position away from said cutting die and bed while main taining said wrapper in its stretched condition.

17. In a cigar machine, the combination with a wrapper cutting bed provided with a cigar wrapper cutting die, of a source 'of supply of wrapper forming continuous strip sheet material, automatic means for feeding and stretching said sheet material over said cutting die and bed, mechanism coacting with said die to cut a wrapper from the stretched material, means for transporting the cut wrapper away from said cutting die and bed, and means for embossing the sheet material while it is being fed directly to said die, to simulate wrapper leaf tobacco of the desired grade or type.

18. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cigar wrapper cutting bed provided with a wrapper cutting die, of a source of supply of cigar wrapper forming sheet material, automatic means for feeding and stretching said sheet material over said cutting die and bed, and mechanism coacting with said die to cut a wrapper from the stretched material.

19. The combination with a cigar wrapper cutting bed provided with a wrapper'cutting die. having a cutting edge defining a closed area, of

a source of supply of cigar wrapper forming sheet material, automatic means for feeding and stretching sheet material over said cutting die and bed, said means including an intermittently driven reel for advancing a web of sheet ma terial step-by-step across said die, sets of take-up rollers at either side of said cutting bed, said web being threaded between said rollers, and mechanism for lowering said rollers to stretch said web on said die and bed while the feeding of the web is interrupted.

20. Means for feeding and stretching sheet material, comprising an intermittently driven reel for advancing a web of sheet material stepby-step, sets of take-up rollers, a support for said web between said sets of rollers, said web being threaded between said rollers, and mechanism for lowering said rollers to stretch said web over said support while the feeding of the same is interrupted.

21. Means for feeding and stretching sheet material, comprising a magazine supporting a stack of sheets, a rotary segmental roll operating to advance the lowermost sheet from under the bottom of saidstack and mechanism for gripping the sheet as it is being so advanced and stretching the same 22. In a cigar machine, the combination with a suction cutting bed provided with a cutting die having cutting edges defining an enclosed area of a pattern for forming a wrapping elecondition'on said bed.

23. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cutting bed provided with a cigar machine cutting die, of automatic means for feeding and positioning sheet material over said cutting die and bed, mechanism coacting with said die to cut a section from said sheet material for use in forming a cigar, means for transporting the severed section away from said cutting die and bed, and means for embossing the material to simulate leaf tobacco of the desired grade or type while it is being fed directly to said die.

- 24. The combination with a cutting bed provided with a cutting die, of automatic means for spreading cigar forming sheet material over said cutting die and bed, and mechanism coacting with said die to vout a, section from the spread material, said spreading means including an intermittently driven reel for advancing a web of sheet material step-by-step across said die, sets of take-up rolls at either side of said bed, said web being threaded between said rollers, and mechanism for lowering said rollers to spread said web on said die and bed while the feeding of the web is interrupted. 25. In a cigar machine, the combination with a binder cutting bed provided with a binder cutting die, of automatic mechanism for feeding 1 cigar forming sheet material. over said bed and die, means coacting therewith to cut a binder from said sheet material, said feeding means including a magazine supporting a stack of sheets. and means actuating said mechanism to remove. sheets from said magazine for transport to said die.

26. In a cigar machine, the combination with a suction cutting bed provided with a cigar binder cutting die, of a source of supply of continuous strip binder forming sheet material sufiieient for forming a plurality of binders, automatic means for successively feeding sufficient sheet material to said die for forming a binder, means for positioning said material over said die, mechanism coacting with said die to cut a binder from said web while so positioned, bunch rolling mechanism, means for transporting a cut binder from the bed to said rolling mechanism, and means for removing the waste portion of said web from said die.

27. In a cigar machine having means for applying a wrapping element such as a binder or wrapper to a filling portion of the cigar, the combination with a wrapping element cutting die which is relatively stationary during its cutting operation, having a cutting edge of the pattern of the desired wrapping element with the edge arranged in a single plane, a source of supply of cigar forming sheet material containing suiiicient material for a number of wrapping elements,

.means for successively feeding to said die increments of said sheet material sufllcient for the formation of a wrapping element in smooth outspread relation adjacent said die, means for passing a cutter roller over said material to press said material against the die and cut the wrapping element therefrom, and a suction wrapper transfer arranged to pick up said cut element while still in out-spread condition on said die and deliver said out element still in smooth outspread condition to said applying means.

28. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cutting bed provided with a cutting die, of automatic means for feeding sheet material over said cutting die and bed, mechanism coacting with said die to cut a section from the sheet material, means for transporting the severed section away from said cutting die and bed, and means for removing from the die that portion of said material remaining after the section severed therefrom has been carried away by said transporting means, said removing means comprising means positioned in advance of the material on the die in the direction fed for feeding the waste material in said direction.

29. The combination with a cigar binder cutting bed provided with a binder cutting die, of

a source of supply of cigar forming sheet material, automatic means for feeding and spreading said sheet material over said cutting die and bed, a rolling mechanism for rolling the binder cut by said die about a cigar bunch charge, a device for embossing the sheet material to simulate binder leaf tobacco of the desired grade or type, said embossing means being arranged so closely adjacent to the die that any tendency to tearing of the material during feeding due to weakening the material by the embossing will be reduced to a minimum, and a device for spraying a flavoring solution on the upper face of the sheet material fed to said die immediately prior to placing the sheet material upon the cutting bed whereby the flavoring solution will be retained on the sheet material after the rolling operation.

30. The combination with a cigar binder cutting bed provided with a binder cutting die, of a source of supply of cigar forming sheet material, automatic means for feeding and spreading said sheet material over said cutting die and bed, a-rolling mechanism for rolling the binder cut by said die about a cigar bunch charge, and a device for spraying a flavoring solution on the upper face of the sheet material fed to said die immediately prior to placing the sheet material upon the cutting bed whereby the flavoring solution will be retained on the sheet material after the rolling operation.

31. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cutting bed provided with a cigar machine cutting die, of automatic means for feeding and positioning sheet material over said cutting die and bed, mechanism coacting with said die to cut a section from said sheet material for use in forming a cigar, means for transporting the severed section away from said cutting die and bed, and means for embossing the material to simulate leaf tobacco of the desired grade or type while it is being fed to said die, said embossing means being arranged closely adjacent to the die so that any tendency to tearing oi the material during feeding due to weakening the material by the embossing will be reduced to a minimiim.

FREDERICK c. ompncx. 

